The present invention relates to dispensing devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to dispensing devices for dispensing tongue depressors.
The medical profession frequently use tongue depressors. Most hospitals and physicians offices use tongue depressors. The medical professional typically stores tongue depressors in a jar with a lid, or in a storage box for shipment as provided by the manufacturer. For example, a physician's examining room often times contains a jar of tongue depressors.
Although jars or boxes can adequately store tongue depressors, they do not provide for or maintain the aseptic integrity of the depressors. Each time one needs a tongue depressor the box or jar must be opened and the hand inserted to grasp a single depressor. This leads to the contamination of the entire stock of tongue depressors.
In some situations, the shipment box is used to store the tongue depressors. When this happens, the top of the box is removed which contaminates the entire stock of depressors. As can be appreciated, the contamination of the entire stock or supply of depressors is an undesirable result. It would be desirable to provide a device for dispensing tongue dispensers which maintains the aseptic integrity of the depressors.
Although jars adequately store tongue depressors, they are sometimes cumbersome to use. For instance, if there is a medical emergency, the time needed to perform the steps of removing the lid and reaching into the jar to grasp a tongue depressor can become critical. It would be desirable to provide a device for dispensing tongue depressors which conveniently, efficiently, and aseptically stores and dispenses tongue depressors.